New Delhi: A significant shift has emerged in the social composition of India’s higher education landscape. A new study by the Centre for Development Policy and Innovation at IIM Udaipur has revealed that students from Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC) now constitute the majority in colleges and universities across the country. This marks a major change in the decade-long narrative that general category students overwhelmingly dominate higher educational institutions.
According to the study, the share of SC/ST/OBC students in higher education was 43.1 percent in 2010-11, but this increased dramatically to 60.8 percent in 2022-23. This means that more than 60 out of every 100 students enrolled today belong to reserved categories. The shift is not marginal, enrolment of reserved category students in 2023 was 95 lakh (9.5 million) higher than that of general category students.
The survey, one of the most extensive of its kind, covered over 60,000 institutions and more than 40 million students across India. The study also included data on the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) category, further broadening the understanding of representation in higher education.
Experts say the findings challenge long-held assumptions. Venkataramanan Krishnamurthy, a professor associated with the study, noted, “The report shatters old perceptions about who dominates India’s colleges and universities. Contrary to what many believe, students from SC, ST, and OBC backgrounds form the majority. Access is no longer the primary issue; representation has significantly improved.”
Alongside the data, the report also cites a notable observation by former Chief Justice B.R. Gavai. He emphasized the urgent need to introduce a creamy layer system for SC and ST categories, similar to that in place for OBCs. According to him, if reservation benefits continue to be availed predominantly by the same well-off families, it could create a “class within a class.” He stressed that reservation benefits must reach those who genuinely need them, not only those who have already risen in socioeconomic status.
AISHE (All India Survey on Higher Education) data referenced in the study supports this idea, showing that opportunities in higher education for SCs, STs, and OBCs have expanded significantly over the past decade. With representation now above average, experts argue that the next crucial step is ensuring equitable distribution within these groups.
